Second Chances
by jadedgoddess
Summary: Ten years after their disappearance, Bella has moved on, well sort of. Her life is finally her own, but what happens when The Cullens suddenly reappear? Can she let them back into her life? Or is it too late? Can she let Edward back into her heart?
1. Chapter 1

***DISCLAIMER: EVERYTHING "TWILIGHT" BELONGS TO STEPHANIE MEYER.***

AUTHORS NOTE*THIS STORY FOLLOWS THE PATH STARTED IN NEW MOON, BUT TAKES A TURN FOR THE…WELL YOU WILL SEE. JUST KEEP IN MIND ALL EVENTS TAKE PLACE AFTER EDWARD LEFT BELLA IN THE WOODS THANKS!*

**Second Chances**

**By: jadedgoddess**

"**For Display Only"**

*****Bella POV*****

_He ran his hands down my body, slowly…"__**Are you sure love?" **__He asked in his velvety voice. __**"Of course love, I've always been ready for you. I love you." **__The conviction in my voice was stronger then I would have thought possible. I feel him pressing into me, at a maddening pace….ever so gently….his mouth at my ear…"__**This is it love." **__I feel his teeth pressing into my neck….. _

***beep beep beep beep beep beep beep***

"Seriously?" I growled at the stupid alarm that always seemed to be just out of reach. The same dream every night for the last 10 years, and it always ended the same. "Dammit!" I cursed at what I'm not sure…the sunlight spilling in the window, the alarm maybe, or my dream Edward who always seemed to leave me just as unsatisfied as the real one did.

Muttering profanities under my breath I rolled out of bed shut the alarm off and headed to the shower. How is it that everyday always begins the same? I mean really? Why can't I get lucky just once and finish my lovely dream? Or even better replace my Bram Stoker Casanova with some dime a dozen talent less actor that I've actually seen naked (at least partially in some "B" movie) where he has no choice but to perform up to my specifications or else I would be forced to leave him on the moon, or feed him to the zombies waiting outside. But no, that's too much for a girl to hope for.

One terrible nights sleep, unfulfilled sexual fantasy, and cold shower later…I was headed out the door to a job that, thankfully, I actually enjoyed. This was the ray of sunshine that I clung too day by boring day. You see in all those lovely fairytales they cram down our throats as little girls, we are all princesses and there is a prince charming on a white horse and a huge castle waiting for us. Well I got news for you. Fairytales do nothing but set girls up for disappointment. They give grown women nightmares because they portray men who don't exist and happy endings that are about as likely as snow in Florida in July. UGH! What a way to start a day.

I only lived a couple miles from work so it didn't take me long to get there. Thankfully traffic wasn't too terrible. I pulled into my usual parking spot 30 minutes early which suited me just fine. I always preferred to be the first one in the library in the morning, that way I got first dibbs on the books in the 24 hour return box. How sad that my life has come to this? I'm the librarian at a local library in a town of maybe 3000. The pay was decent I suppose, I knew all my patrons by first name and they all knew to leave me alone. Alone. Alone was simple. There was no one to let me down, and no one for me to disappoint with my less than amazing existence. My heart was safer this way, tucked in a pretty pink box covered with ribbons and bows. It was wrapped protectively in the pathetic memories of a love that went wrong. It remains hidden on the highest shelf in the darkest corner of my vault, behind the bottles of tears I cried and the years of self doubt and loathing I subjected myself to… never to be toyed with again. It was officially "for display only". Yup, life was good, and easy. I was content.


	2. Chapter 2

***DISCLAIMER: EVERYTHING "TWILIGHT" BELONGS TO STEPHANIE MEYER.***

**Living on Edge**

**Chapter 2 **

*Bella POV*

Today was just like any other day here at the Rockwall County Library, as I sat in my office going over the over-due list for the last week.

"_Bella…"_ Lori said hesitantly from my office door that was only slightly ajar. I had to chuckle to myself at the sight of her face smushed in the tiny crack, too afraid to push it open anymore, yes I was a cruel bitch, and I loved it.

"_Yes, Lori, please come in you look like an idiot standing there." _I said in my most annoyed voice.

"_I'm I'm I'm sorry Bella but there is a gentleman here saying that he received a notice about an over due book and he's very upset and I'm not really sure what to tell him…"_ she trailed off, and I noticed the entire time that she kept glancing over her shoulder at what I could only assume was the patron in question.

"_Really Lori? I can't believe you are incapable of handling this one on your own. I mean what are you going to do when I'm on vacation huh? Who's going to fight your battles for you then?" _I was completely aggravated at her interruption, however I was quite intrigued to meet the man who had scared her enough that she came to me. She just stood there the entire time pulling on her mangled cuticles, looking at her feet. When I realized that she wouldn't be giving in any time soon, I relented "_Fine." _as I pushed myself away from the big oak desk and made my way to the main counter.

The closer I got, I noticed there weren't many people standing there and only one looked angry enough to cause the chaos that Lori described. He was standing there all arrogant and puffed up. I only smiled wider and stepped directly in front of him extending my hand "_Good morning sir," _ah so sugary sweet _"My name is Bella Swan and I'm the head librarian",_ (Head librarian, yeah that's right asshat.) _"how can I assist you?"_ He seemed a bit flustered which only annoyed me more. He had started into his rant already, the one I heard 20 times a day, every day since taking this position 3 years ago. "Oh it's not my fault" "I don't remember checking it out" "Can you give me more time". Ugh idiot, first off, if the man took half the time looking at my face as he did staring at my breasts, I might have taken pity on him. Secondly, according to the information that Lori had pulled up on the screen, he was notorious for "losing" books and had been forgiven each time. Third, I **hated** that stupid line "just give me more time", it made my blood boil. After 5 minutes he still hadn't made eye contact and was still whining "_asshole" _I muttered under my breath, however I must've said it a little louder than I'd intended because he had stopped speaking and was staring at me with wide eyes.

"_Henry" _I said glancing at the screen "_According to our records this is the 20__th__ book in as many months that you have either lost, forgotten, or never checked out. I'm afraid that the only option we have from here is to revoke your privileges to use our library and charge the card we have on file that you gave us permission to charge the last time you were in this situation. So if there is nothing else, you know where the door is and please feel free to never come back. Thank you." _I tacked a lovely smile onto the end of it. Henry stumbled his way out the front door mumbling to himself under his breath about the "_Book Nazi"_ the whole way. Stupid man. I returned to my office to finish the rest of my paperwork so I could get home and prepare for my vacation that I was so sorely in need of. It remained fairly quiet and I was able to get all the letters mailed and the lists updated before my relief showed up promptly at 6 pm. The library was only open until 8 but dammit, I deserved to get off early. I still had to pack and rest before my flight leaves at 9 in the morning. Sunny Florida here I come!

I handed Sherry the paperwork necessary before pleasantly reminding her not to call me, and that if she needed anything she should feel free to figure it out on her own. I know people say I'm rude but its better that way, really. The only people I talk to are family and those conversations are few and far between.

I made my way home in record time and got my packing done in no time at all. My bed was practically screaming my name, so after a long hot bath I curled into it ready for my nightly invasion, and the unsatisfied feelings I knew would welcome me with the sunshine.  
However it wasn't the sunshine, or the dream, or even the damned annoying alarm that woke me…It was my phone. Odd. People know better.

"_This better be damn good" _I all but growled into the receiver not even letting the person speak.

"_Bells?" _a very masculine voice spoke quickly into my ear.

"_Jake? Are you freakin kidding me? What the hell time is it? The sun isn't even up yet? What the hell do you want? Are you insane…"_ my rant was cut short by a quick "_**SHUT UP" **_screamed directly into my ear drum. _"That was really unnecessary." _I grumbled shifting the phone to the other side and rubbing my ear while waiting for him to continue trying to avoid provoking him to assault my ear further.

"_I thought you worked last night Bells, Charlie told Billy you would be there, and obviously you weren't so who was?"_ He asked his tone calm and even.

"_Uh Sherry Stephens. Why? How did you know I didn't work? Shit, I take off two hours early once in 10 years and I get bitched out? Seriously?" _I couldn't contain the irritation in my voice. I mean really who the hell was he to call and give me shit? Stupid man.

"_Look bells, we know it wasn't you because you answered your phone this morning and since the schedule said it was supposed to be you the police assumed, look they need to know who it is that they are searching for and who they need to notify when they find her."_ His voice was cold, emotionless.

"_Jake what do you mean "they need to know who they're looking for"? Jake what happened? I took off early because I'm supposed to be going on vacation today ok? Sherry relieved me at 6pm. She has a husband Tim I don't have his number but it will be in her personal file at the library. Please what's going on?" _My heart felt as if it would pound out of my chest, the bile was already rising in my throat. "_Jake?"_

"_Bells, the library was broken into last night, the front door was literally ripped off its hinges and there was blood all over your office. That's all we know so far. No body was found and there were no witnesses but…"_ he trailed off.

"_Jake either you tell me what the fuck is going on or I am coming to La Push and sticking my size 6 and ½ straight up your ass, do you hear me?"_ I shrieked through the phone, hoping I had done some damage to his "super" hearing, and sounding much braver than I felt.

"_Bells the blood, it was everywhere. Sam went as soon as he got the call from Charlie. They thought it was you so he came to try to get your scent, he needed to find you…but the scent he found…it wasn't you bells. It was… them."_ Jake hesitated so I opened my mouth to threaten him further when he interrupted me again "_It was the Cullens Bella. The Cullens are back." _The last four words I ever wanted to hear were the last four words I heard before I threw up all over my bed and passed out.

*Reviews are appreciated!*


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